Heat exchanger apparatus



1966 D. A. HURTER ETAL 3,229,760

INVENTORLS DONALD ANDREW HURTER GUNNAR GEORGE KARLSON RICHARD FRANCISTALLINI Maw ATTORNEY Jan. 18, 1966 HURTER ETAL 3,229,760

HEAT EXCHANGER APPARATUS Filed Dec. 2, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORSDONALD ANDREW HURTER GUNNAR GEORGE KARLSON RICHARD FRANCIS TALLINI ATTRNEY United States Patent 3,229,760 HEAT EXCHANGER APPARATUS DonaldAndrew Hurter, Nor-wood, Gunnar George Karlson, Belmont, and RichardFrancis Tallini, Sudbury,

Mass., assignors to Standard-Thomson Corporation,

Waltham, Mass, a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 2, 1963, Ser. No.327,395 2 Claims. (Cl. 165-134) This invention relates to heat exchangerapparatus. The invention relates more particularly to radiator structureprovided with cooling fins which are relatively easily damaged and meansfor protection thereof.

Radiator structures or heat exchangers normally comprise a plurality offluid conduit members to which are firmly joined a multiplicity of finsor the like. Thus, heat from the conduit members readily flows into thefins.

Thus, air or other gas, at a lower temperature than the fins, cools thefins as the air engages the fins and receives heat therefrom. Thus, theconduit members are cooled and the fluid within the conduit members iscooled.

Radiator structures are used with many types of apparatus. Radiator orheat exchanger apparatus which is used in aircraft frequently has thefins thereof damaged by hail impingement if the aircraft encounters ahail storm. Also, in the use of radiators with various types ofvehicles, stones or the like frequently strike the fins and cause damagethereto.

Attempts have been made to protect the fins. One method has been that ofdisposing bars or rods in the form of a grid or the like in front of thefins so that hail or stones or other objects will strike the bars orrods rather than the fins. However, it has been found that radiatorstructure which is so provided with bars or rods for protection of thefins thereof frequently becomes clogged with ice or snow when ambienttemperatures are freezing temperatures. Icing conditions thereforeresult in blocking or restricting of airflow through the radiator. Whensuch conditions exist, the proper amount of air does not flow throughthe radiator or heat exchanger.

Thus, it is an object of this invention to provide radiator or heatexchange structure which has protective means which prevents damage byhail or stones or the like and which protective means does not permit orcause blocking of airflow by ice or snow or the like.

Other objects and advantages reside in the construction of parts, thecombination thereof, the method of manufacture and the mode ofoperation, as will become more apparent from the following description.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of heat exchanger apparatus of thisinvention.

FIGURE 2 is an exploded perspective view of the apparatus of thisinvention.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view showing coolingfins and protective means therefor of the apparatus of this invention.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view showing protectivemeans of the apparatus of this invention.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary enlarged perspective view of a modification ofheat exchanger apparatus of this in- "ice disposed intermediate eachpair of the pans 11 and are firmly secured thereto in good thermalconductive relationship therewith. Thus, the fins 12 receive heat fromthe fluid within the pans or tubes 11, as the pans or tubes 11 areheated by the fluid therewithin. Therefore, air or other gas which islower in temperature than the fluid within the pans 11 and passing inengagement with the fins 12 receives heat from the fins 12.

A main inlet conduit 14 and a main outlet conduit 16 connect to or arein communication with the tubes or pans 11 so that fluid entering theinlet conduit 14 flows through the pans 11 and out through the outletconduit 16.

The fins 12 are readily damaged if struck by objects such as hail orstone or the like.

A guard structure 20 of this invention protects the fins 1-2, as shownin FIGURE 2. The guard structure 20 comprises a frame or housing 22within which are a plurality of protective fluid conductor members 24which are larger and are of much stronger construction than the fins 12.The protective fluid conductor members 24 are shown herein in the formof strips which are preferably shaped in a wave formation as shown, butmay be of any other desired shape or formation disposed in front of thefins 12. If desired, retainer rods 25 may be carried by the frame 22between opposing side portions thereof.

The guard structure 20 has an inlet conduit 26 which connects to themain inlet conduit 14 so that a portion of the fluid flowing into themain inlet conduit 14 flows through the protective conductor members 24,rather than through the tubes or pans 11.

The guard structure 20 also has an outlet conduit 28 which is connectedto the main outlet conduit 16 so that fluid flowing from the conductormembers 24 flows outwardly through the conduit 28 and into the mainoutlet conduit 16. The strip conductor members 24 are thus joined to theconduit members 11 through the inlet conduit 26 and outlet conduit 28.

It is to be understood, however, that any suitable desired arrangementof inlet and outlet conduits and connections for the pans 12 and for theprotective conductor members 24 may be employed. The protectiveconductor members 24 do not need to be joined to the conduit members 14and 16 and the fluid flowing through the protective conductor membersdoes not need to be a portion of the fluid which would otherwise flowthrough the fins 12.

Due to the fact that fluid which flows through the protective conductormembers 24 is warmer than ambient temperatures, it is not possible forclogging conditions caused by ice or snow among the protective conductormembers to occur. Any ice or snow becoming disposed among the protectiveconduct-or members 24 is melted by the heat of the fluid therewithin.Therefore, the protective conductor members 24 guard the fins 12 againstdamage by impingement thereupon without the possibility of adverseeffects which might otherwise be caused by icing action.

FIGURES 5 and 6 show a modification of the heat exchanger apparatus ofthis invention. Conduit tube or pan members 50 extend beyond fin members52. In other words, the front wall of the fin members 52 is recessedrearwardly from the leading edges of the conduit tubes or pan members50. As stated above, the fin members 52 are secured to the conduit panmembers 50 so that there is good thermal conductivity therebetween.Herein two rows or layers of fin members 52 are shown between two pansor tubes 54. A thin heat conductive sheet or strip 53 is shown betweenthe two rows or layers of fin members 52 and attached thereto.

A solid protective strip 54 is disposed between each.

pair of adjacent fluid conduit pans 50. Each strip is shown as being ina wave shape and is firmly attached to the pans 50 which it engages sothat there is good thermal conductivity therebetween.

The protective strips 54 are disposed in front of the fins 52 so as toprotect the fins against damage from impingement by moving objects suchas hail or stones or the like.

As warm fluid flows through the conduit tubes or pans 54 the fluid heatsthe pans 54. Heat from the pans 54 flows into the fins 52 and heat fromthe fins 52 flows into the air or gas which moves over the fins 52.

Due to the fact that the protective strips 54 are firmly secured to thepans 50, heat from the pans 50 also flows into the protective strips 54.Thus, the protective strips 54 are warmer than the ambient air or gas.Therefore, ice or snow or the like coming into contact with theprotective strips 54 melts and does not prevent flow of air through thepassages formed by the fins 52.

Thus, the heat exchanger structure of FIGURES 5 and 6 includes means forprotecting the cooling fins 52 against damage. Furthermore, moisturedoes not accumulate among the protective strips to freeze and to clogthe passages formed by the fins.

Although the preferred embodiment of the device has been described, itwill be understood that within the purview of this invention variouschanges may be made in the form, details, proportion and arrangement ofparts, the combination thereof, and mode of operation, which generallystated consist in a device capable of carrying out the objects setforth, as dis-closed and defined by the appended claims.

The invention having thus been described, the following is claimed:

1. Heat exchanger apparatus for use with aircraft, the heat exchangerapparatus being of the type provided with a plurality of spaced-apartfluid conduit members, thin fin members secured to the fluid conduitmembers and in good thermal conductive relationship therewith, theapparatus having a forward side and a rearward side, the improvementcomprising:

a plurality of strips of protective members disposed adjacent the thinfin members at the forward side of the apparatus, each of the strips ofprotective members being much larger in thickness than any of the thinfin members, each of the strips of protective members being joined to atleast one of the fluid conduit members in good thermal conductiverelationship therewith so that heat from the fluid conduit members flowsinto the strips of protective members, each of the strips having a shapewhich provides openings for passage of air from the forward side of theapparatus to the rearward side thereof as the air engages the strips andthe thin fin members.

2. Heat exchanger apparatus for aircraft comprising:

a plurality of spaced-apart fluid conduit members adapted to carry afluid which is warmer than the ambient temperature within which theapparatus is disposed,

a plurality of thin fin members secured to the fluid conduit members ingood thermal exchange relationship therewith,

a plurality of spaced-apart guard members disposed in protectiverelationship to the thin fin members and adjacent thereto, each of theguard members being elongate and having substantially rectangularcross-section with comparatively narrow edge surf-aces and comparativelylong side surfaces, there being an edge surface of each guard memberfacing the thin fin members and an edge surface of each guard memberfacing away from the thin fin members, the greatest spacing betweenadjacent guard members being greater than the width dimension thereof,the spacing being provided for flow of air to the thin fin members,

the guard members being in thermal conductive relationship with respectto the fluid within the fluid conduit members.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,226,344 5/1917Livingston -134 1,451,871 3/1923 Fowler 165-134 1,845,435 2/1932 Murray16555 2,501,147 3/1950 Tolan 165-134 X 2,861,167 11/1958 Wick 16555ROBERT A. OLEARY, Primary Examiner.

CHARLES SUKALO, Examiner.

1. HEAT EXCHANGE APPARATUS FOR USE WITH AIRCRAFT, THE HEAT EXCHANGERAPPARATUS BEING OF THE TYPE PROVIDED WITH A PLURALITY OF SPACED-APARTFLUID CONDUIT MEMBERS, THIN FIN MEMBERS SECURED TO THE FLUID CONDUITMEMBERS AND IN GOOD THERMAL CONDUCTIVE RELATIONSHIP THEREWITH, THEAPPARATUS HAVING A FORWARD SIDE AND A REARWARD SIDE, THE IMPROVEMENTCOMPRISING: A PLURALITY OF STRIPS OF PROTECTIVE MEMBERS DISPOSEDADJACENT THE THIN FIN MEMBERS AT THE FORWARD SIDE OF THE APPARATUS, EACHOF THE STRIPS OF PROTECTIVE MEMBERS BEING MUCH LARGER IN THICKNESS THANANY OF THE THIN FIN MEMBERS, EACH OF THE STRIPS OF PROTECTIVE MEMBERSBEING JOINED TO AT LEAST ONE OF THE FLUID CONDUIT MEMBERS IN GOODTHERMAL CONDUCTIVE RELATIONSHIP THEREWITH SO THAT HEAT FROM THE FLUIDCONDUIT MEMBERS FLOWS INTO THE STRIPS OF PROTECTIVE MEMBERS, EACH OF THESTRIPS HAVING A SHAPE WHICH PROVIDES OPENINGS FOR PASSAGE OF AIR FROMTHE FORWARD SIDE OF THE APPARATUS TO THE REARWARD SIDE THEREOF AS THEAIR ENGAGES THE STRIPS AND THE THIN FIN MEMBERS.